Glasgow: Neeraj Chopra secures silver, Yashvir Singh claims bronze in javelin
Neeraj Chopra earned a silver medal, and Yashvir Singh secured a bronze with a final throw, resulting in two Indian athletes on the podium in the men’s javelin throw at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday. This marked a significant achievement for India in the event.
Chopra, the Tokyo Olympic champion, achieved a season-best throw of 85.83m on his second attempt, placing him second. This throw surpassed his previous season best of 85.69m, recorded when he finished fourth at the Doha Diamond League on June 19, his only other competition this year.
Singh, who was competing in his first Commonwealth Games, delivered a career-best throw of 85.41m on his sixth and final attempt to secure the bronze medal. His previous personal best was 83.72m. This impressive performance allowed him to claim a spot on the podium.
Pathirage’s Gold Medal Performance
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won the gold medal with a best throw of 89.75m, achieved during his second attempt. Pathirage’s throw was close to the 90m mark despite the challenging cold and windy conditions in Glasgow. He remains the only javelin thrower this season to have surpassed the 90m mark.
Pathirage’s victory marked Sri Lanka’s first gold medal in athletics at the Commonwealth Games. The 23-year-old athlete faced a strong field of competitors, including the highly-regarded pairing of Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan and Neeraj Chopra from India, who have historically been top contenders in the discipline.
The third Indian participant, Rohit Yadav, finished seventh in the competition with a best throw of 81.56m. Notably, athletes from the Indian subcontinent secured all the men’s javelin throw medals at these Games, highlighting the region’s strength in the event.
Chopra’s Return and Nadeem’s Early Exit
Chopra’s performance followed a period of recovery from a lower back injury that had affected him since September of the previous year. This injury had delayed his return to competition until the Diamond League in Doha. This was his second Commonwealth Games appearance, having previously won a gold medal in the 2018 edition held in Gold Coast.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, the defending champion and reigning Olympic gold medallist from Paris 2024, made an unexpected early exit from the competition. He was eliminated after three rounds, with his best distance recorded at 77.41m on a blustery evening at Scotstoun Stadium.
Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, the reigning world champion, finished sixth with a throw of 82.55m. Walcott struggled with his initial five throws, only managing his best distance on his final attempt. Five of the finalists in the competition had previously thrown over 90m in their careers.
Pathirage’s athletic background includes a stint as a fast bowler in cricket, where he was clocked at a speed of 134 kilometres an hour as a teenager. His transition from cricket to javelin has proven successful, culminating in his historic gold medal win.
The Commonwealth Games javelin final saw a remarkable display of talent and resilience from the athletes, with Pathirage’s gold and the double podium finish for India marking memorable moments in the competition.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
